An aquatic exercise has been used in particular with unilaterally or bilaterally diminished mobility or range of motion of the upper or lower extremities as well as by amputee as well as by other musculoskelatal and neurologically challenged individuals. A person, for example, is substantially lighter when under water and thus able to perform exercises under water that could not be otherwise performed. Studies on the benefits of aquatic exercise indicate that cardiac volume increases by nearly one-third with emersion to the neck. It has also been established that water exercise could be aerobically efficient. Water helps patients with diseased hearts and those with joint disease as well as patients with hypertension. Aquatic exercise programs have also been beneficial to restore fitness in obese patients. Because of the protective effects against heavy joint loading with such individuals a program may start in water and eventually move to land as the tolerance builds thus achieving effective conditioning and weight loss.
One of the difficulties with aquatic exercise particularly for patients having unilaterally or bilaterally diminished mobility or range of motion is in assuring that the arms and/or legs will move in the desired exercise. My U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,316,532 and 5,487,713 disclose variations in an aquatic exercise and rehabilitation device which includes having interconnected pivoted handle bars and rotatable pedals on an exercise cycle which is lowered into a water containing vessel. With such devices arm movement and foot movement are achieved by rotating the pedals and/or pivoting the handlebars of the device back and forth under power from the user. My U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,826 also discloses variations which include different types of exercise devices in addition to cycles.